What Are Aquatic Midges (A.K.A. Blind Mosquitoes)?
Everything is laid out beautifully and your guests have all arrived with smiles and various side dishes. You are hosting an outdoor event and things are going according to plan. Suddenly, in the distance you see a black swarm of what you hope is not headed your way.
Dense mosquito swarms in Florida and other U.S. states are common during the summer. An unwelcome sight for many, these swarms have the potential to ruin an outdoor event in no time at all. Guests take cover, flapping at biting insects hungry for a blood meal and just like that, your event has fallen a bit flat.
But sometimes, what you're seeing are actually clouds of insects known as aquatic midges. They may look like mosquitoes-and you may not want to hang about to find out-but they are different.
Also called non-biting midges or blind mosquitoes, these pesky pests look just like mosquitoes but, thankfully, they do not bite. They can, however, damage your property, so it's important to know how to protect yourself and your property from these pests.
What are aquatic midges?
Aquatic midges are one of the most common and abundant organisms found in natural or man-made water systems. Aquatic midges do not bite, suck blood or carry diseases. They survive in eutrophic waters, which are bodies of water rich in phosphates, nitrates, and other organic nutrients.
Common breeding sites for non-biting midges in Florida and other humid areas include large natural lakes, sewage oxidation and settling ponds, residential lakes and ponds, and shallow, slow moving rivers.
Many aquatic midge species are beneficial to aquatic habitants because they serve as a food source for fish, shoreline birds and predatory aquatic insects. Their larvae also helps "clean" aquatic environments by consuming and recycling organic debris.
How aquatic midges wreak havoc
Just because these insects don't bite or carry disease doesn't mean they're not problematic to humans. Aquatic midges typically emerge in large, dense swarms during the months of April through November, making them major nuisances during outdoor gatherings and events.
Even though they don't bite, guests will not hang around to wait and see if this swarm is after their blood or to damage your property. Any swarm of insects is bound to put a damper on outdoor festivities.
Even worse, these pests can destroy valuable property. Their swarms can damage paint, stucco, and other wall finishes, as well as leave behind permanent stains on the exteriors of buildings and homes. Businesses and communities often have to spend thousands of dollars a year on property maintenance and non-biting midge control to keep the problem at bay.
Protecting your property
The best way to control aquatic midges is with ongoing fogging treatments or permanent systems that admit a light mist.
Chances are that aquatic midges are not the only pest your property experiences throughout the seasons. Mosquitoes breed in similar areas to aquatic midges and they can carry nasty diseases that could pose a threat of infection to you or your family.
MosquitoNix ® offers customized solutions to protect your outdoor home or commercial property. We are the national leader in mosquito control and we offer permanent, temporary and portable mosquito and pest control options. Serving both residential and commercial properties, we offer superior customer service, trained and licensed employees and state-of-the-art products and services.
Contact MosquitoNix® today to find out how ongoing fogging treatment and a custom misting system can keep you comfortable and protect your property from costly damage.
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